Diploma in Body Psychotherapy

For a number of years we have offered a 6 year Diploma in Body Psychotherapy leading to registration with the UK Council for Psychotherapy. We are going through a period of restructuring and shall not offer this again for 2-3 years. We have students currently completing training on this structure and are leaving details of the training pathway at the bottom of the page.

We are now offering a post-qualifying diploma in body psychotherapy. This provides another pathway for training in body psychotherapy. It takes 3 years and is designed for those already working as psychotherapists, counsellors, and psychologists and wanting to include a more body focussed, “bottom up” approach which includes more communication with the non-verbal aspects of relationships.

Post-Qualifying Training in Body Psychotherapy

We have started interviewing for the post-qualifying diploma in body psychotherapy for September 2020. You should be registered with BACP, UKCP, HCPC or an equivalent organisation. There are both compulsory and optional modules to complete based on your previous training.

BODY PSYCHOTHERAPY 1

COST: £1917.00 payable as a deposit of £213.00 and 8 monthly payments of £213.00

TRAINER: Gill Westland

Further details: gillwestland@cbpc.org.uk 01223 214658

Open Evenings to Find out More

Friday 7th February and 6th March 2020 7.00 – 9.00 p.m. Please let us know that you are coming.

European Association For Body Psychotherapy Standards

The training is designed to meet UKCP standards. It also meets the training standards set by the European Association for Body Psychotherapy (EABP) in September 2018 at the AGM in Berlin. The following information is adapted from the EABP documents. Normally a post qualification training in body psychotherapy should be three years. At least two out of the three years of training need to be completed with the same institution and within two consecutive calendar years.

The total number of hours should be at least 700. Training hours (direct tuition hours) should be a minimum of 300.

Individual Body Psychotherapy

The personal psychotherapy requirement is 120 hours for those with less than 100 hours of previous personal psychotherapy experience. For those with substantially more personal psychotherapy previously, the requirement can be reduced by up to 60 hours to leave a minimal requirement of 60 hours. Some of the personal psychotherapy hours can be group therapy, but this is limited to 40% of the total personal psychotherapy hours maximum, and the minimum of individual personal psychotherapy must be maintained at 60 hours.

Clinical Experience

We recognize that people’s level of experience can vary and suggest that the required clinical hours can be adjusted according to how many clinical hours a person has already got, but the minimum must be 250 clinical hours (hours of client work) of body psychotherapy.

Supervision

There should be 50 individual supervision hours by an experienced Body Psychotherapist.

Final Stages and Assessment

Trainees complete written work and case studies before applying for the Diploma in Body Psychotherapy and registration with UKCP. These requiriements are designed to show how a trainee understands the implication of deeper body psychotherapy both for their practice and for themselves personally.

Please note that it is not possible to accredit if a trainee only completes minimal hours in every category (300 + 60 + 250 + 50 = 660). More hours have to be comleted in one or more of the categories outlined above to make the 700 hours required.

Cambridge Body Psychotherapy Training Overview

Cambridge Body Psychotherapy Centre (CBPC) trains individuals to offer individual, in depth Body Psychotherapy with adults. We draw on the main body psychotherapies and bring them together in a comprehensive framework equipping the psychotherapist to work with the sorts of individuals (and their reasons for seeking help), which are currently coming to the attention of body psychotherapists. Our graduates are equipped to work with a broad range of people and to offer exploration of personal experiences that can be transformative in itself. We see the training as a “training of the person” and this requires adequate time for personal maturation. We prepare students for accreditation as a body psychotherapist and then registration with the U.K. Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP). Cambridge Body Psychotherapy Centre is a full training and accrediting organisational member of UKCP. We are also active within the European Association for Body Psychotherapy.

The Training Structure

The training is run in Cambridge and our students come from all over the UK and training events are clustered around weekends to make it accessible nationally. The Cambridge tourist office is a useful resource www.visitcambridge.org elephone 01223 322640

Weekends are non-residential and details of local accommodation are available.

Cambridge Body Psychotherapy

Body psychotherapy explores what it means to be fully alive and what hinders this. Health is more than just being well – i.e., not being ill, and being only averagely tired. Health means reconnecting with the “essential self”. When this occurs the individual has a zest for life, feels joyful and connected with others and the environment; their skin has a bloom to it, their eyes shine, and they live with more ease.

Body psychotherapy sees a unity between mind and body; mind and body are interactive aspects of the whole. Body psychotherapy addresses the connections of this whole both individually and in relationship with others.

Antecedents for modern day body psychotherapy are found in the search for the psycho-physiological basis of neurosis by doctors such as Freud and Ferenzci. However, it is Wilhelm Reich who laid the foundations of body psychotherapy. He found in his clinical work as an analyst working with Freud that attitudes were embodied and revealed themselves in posture, subtle movements, muscle tone and breathing patterns. He came to see that conflicts and stress both past and present become encoded in the structure of the body in the form of muscle tensions, restricted breathing patterns and habitual thinking processes and that discussing problems was not always the way to resolve them. Moreover, in the last thirty years non-dualistic thinking from Eastern philosophy has been incorporated into body psychotherapy, in particular the notion that embodiment is the grounding for spiritual development. This is a major focus in the training.

Within a body psychotherapy session language forms a central part to the process as it is the main form of communication in our society. However, Reich realised that the way someone communicates is more reliable and gives more indication of unconscious processes. So the body psychotherapist encourages a gentle curiosity to the “how” of communications in addition to heeding the content. The body psychotherapist slowly guides awareness to direct experience of oneself and especially to bodily communications. Often simply by bringing awareness to tensions and holding patterns without forcing something to happen or change, there will be a release of restrictions. This release gives a sense of more space inside the body, and within daily life there will be more choice and flexibility. Sometimes the release of tensions or letting the breath move into hitherto restricted areas of the body will be accompanied by memories, images or emotions connected with past events. There may be sadness, anger, shame, humiliation or a long forgotten joyful moment. Often in finding these emotions there is a relief and sense of coming home. The presence of the body psychotherapist sharing the experience of the other’s past and present suffering is in itself healing.

Body psychotherapists believe that the body moves naturally towards healing and self regulation, and the task of the body psychotherapist is to foster conditions of safety, acceptance and kindness towards oneself for healing to occur. As the body and its energy moves more freely, the possibility for deeper journeying arises.

Principles Underpinning the Training

The training is rooted in the following principles:

mind and body are not separate

there is a fundamental interconnectedness in the world mediated by energy flow;

the focus of attention is on intrinsic health or the “essential self”; pathology arises out of loss of connection with the essential self;

Clinicians Studied

The main focus is on the theory and clinical application of body psychotherapy. We draw on a range of body psychotherapy theory and its application. This includes the work of the Boyesens and Southwell (Biodynamic Psychology), Kurtz (Hakomi therapy), Sills (Core Process Psychotherapy), Boadella (Biosynthesis), Reich (Character Analysis, Vegetotherapy), Lowen (Bioenergetics), Pierrakos (Core Energetics), Rosenberg (Integrative Body Psychotherapy), and Rothschild (Somatic Trauma Therapy). The training is held within a psycho-spiritual framework and authors are studied who are working from this perspective e.g. Wegela. The training is informed by contemporary studies in mindfulness, neuroscience and child development (especially attachment studies). Body psychotherapy is also set within the broader context of psychotherapy and key authors within psycho-analytic psychotherapy, Jungian psychology, humanistic and existential psychotherapy are also studied. Experiential learning, including reflexive practice is central throughout the training, and supported by required reading and essays. Please refer to “UK Body Psychotherapy Competencies” on this site which outlines what a UK body psychotherapist has the capacity to offer at the end of the training.

Copyright CBPC

The Training Overview

Successful completion of all first year modules enables the student to begin seeing biodynamic massage clients with supervision. Students begin to see clients for body psychotherapy during, or at the end of the fourth year depending on their level of competence. This involves completing an application to practice at trainee body psychotherapy level. Trainees then begin to build the necessary psychotherapy clinical hours to apply for the Diploma in Body Psychotherapy. This involves an acceditation process. The final stage is registration with UKCP.

Throughout the training there are three aspects to it, which are present in all of the courses. These are the teaching of Skills and Techniques, which are used to provide structures within which psychotherapy process occurs; exploring and deepening Being or Presence, which is the ground of the therapeutic relationship in body psychotherapy; and finally skills and presence are put into a Conceptual and Contextual framework.

It is possible to pace training to the student’s own circumstances and so fewer modules may be taken than the year requirements.

THIRD YEAR

FOURTH YEAR

Body Psychotherapy

THE FIRST YEAR

The first year develops body awareness and embodiment. Self regulation and healing is fostered through coming into relationship with the “essential self” and gaining a sense of restrictions which hinder self regulation. The use of skilful touch and the recognition of somatic resonance is explored and how to use these in the psychotherapeutic relationship. Practice sessions are done mostly in pairs followed by reflexive exploration on self as client and self as therapist. Successful completion of the Foundation Biodynamic Massage and Emotional Anatomy and Physiology modules leads to the Certificate in Foundation Biodynamic Massage and entitles the holder to join the Association of Biodynamic Massage Therapists. See AHBMT This association holds a register of practitioners.

First year modules require two to five days per month, (usually at weekends) depending on numbers of modules taken.

THE SECOND YEAR

The student begins to build a biodynamic massage practice and to work under supervision with clients.

The second year deepens training from the first year and skills are learned to anchor contact with the essential self more securely and to take this relationship with oneself into relationship with another. A variety of physical awareness practices are taught for students to use to further embodied presence and to foster self care in daily life. The study of biodynamic massage in the service of psychotherapy is continued. To this is added the study of vegetotherapy, a form of “free association” of the body. Different levels of therapeutic presence are also explored. The theory and clinical application of different psychotherapies and political, social, cultural and spiritual issues surrounding the practice of psychotherapy are discussed. Practice sessions are done in threes and fours, followed by reflexive inquiry with the focus more on self as psychotherapist. These modules involve 9 weekends per year and some additional weekend days and Friday evenings spread over 10 months.

THE THIRD YEAR

The third year moves from a relative focus more on intrapersonal relating to one of more interpersonal relating. The psychotherapeutic relationship is explored in terms of resonance and reaction (somatic transference and somatic countertransference). Existential thinking on relationship is also studied. Regressive and imaginal work is explored, and psychotherapeutic themes such as working with sexual issues, aggression and negativity, and birth process are examined. The study of vegetotherapy is continued and deepened. Skills are also taught drawn from recent developments in gestalt psychotherapy and used as vehicles for exploration. Psychotherapy theory and the clinical application of different psychotherapies is continued, but with emphasis on the different schools of Body Psychotherapy. The time commitment is as for second year: 9 weekends per year and some additional weekend days and Friday evenings spread over 10 months.

THE FOURTH YEAR

The fourth year consolidates the learning of previous years and prepares the student for work with clients. A large part of the training year is spent with students working in small groups, giving sessions and receiving live supervision. A form of contemplative self and peer supervision is formally introduced and becomes honed to reflect on psychotherapeutic process. There is opportunity to revisit some of the topics from previous years and within seminars the clinical application of Body Psychotherapy is discussed using in particular the theory of Character Strategy (Reich, Lowen, Brennan, Kurtz).

Psychotherapy Requirement

Students must be in individual psychotherapy with a UKCP registered body psychotherapist approved for training for the duration of the training. Students are expected to have weekly, hour long sessions totalling 40 hours per year.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Applicants are likely to be qualified in a helping profession or to have experience of working with people in a caring capacity. This could be voluntary work. They should be able to cope with academic material, but relevant personality, life experience and maturity are given importance. Previous training as a counsellor, and experience of individual body psychotherapy are valued. We also train those wanting to make a career change, who are working in commerce, teaching etc. Generally applicants are aged 25 years and over. Equivalents for all criteria are viewed sympathetically.

Application and Selection

Applicants should complete an application form and return it to the training director. Suitable applicants will be invited for an interview and informed shortly after this of the outcome. If accepted the applicant will be asked to confirm acceptance of the place by paying a deposit for the relevant courses. Subsequent payments are made at monthly intervals on course commencement. A student handbook is available at this stage with fuller details about the syllabus and structure of the training.

The Training Staff

The Training Director:

Gill Westland, MA, BA (Hons), Dip.COT, UKCP Registered Body Psychotherapist, full member of the European Association of Body Psychotherapy worked for 10 years in mental health as an Occupational therapist and was Deputy Head and Clinical Supervisor at Fulbourn hospital, Cambridge. She is the founder of Cambridge Body Psychotherapy Centre (CBPC), is currently the External Examiner for the Karuna Institute and a co-editor of the Journal Body, Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy .

Alun Reynolds, UKCP Registered Psychotherapist and UKAHPP registered psychotherapist had a first career in teaching. He trained originally in Gestalt therapy and then in Body psychotherapy at the Chiron Centre for Body Psychotherapy and the Lomi School.

Lindsay Fovargue, M.A., UKCP Registered Body Psychotherapist.

Sue Frazer, UKCP registered Body Psychotherapist. She has a private body psychotherapy practice in Norfolk and has experience of working in the NHS.

Deirdre Gordon, Dip.COT, UKCP Registered Core Process Psychotherapist worked as Head of Forensic Occupational Therapy at St Bernard’s Hospital, London. She worked for a number of years as a staff member of CBPC, is a trainer for the Karuna Institute and also a qualified Cranio-sacral therapist.

Ned Henderson, B.A. UKCP registered body psychotherapist.

Brett Walwyn, MSc. UKCP registered Body Psychotherapist is a staff member of CBPC and also has a private practice in Northants.

Jo Coole, BA, LSSM, RCST works as a Biodynamic Cranio-sacral therapist and Sports Massage Therapist in Bournmouth. She teaches Anatomy and Physiology on a number of trainings

External Examiner

Margaret Landale

External Moderator

Dan Jones

Associates

Roz Carroll

Jane Frances

Maryline Gagnère

Gillie Gilbert

Alastair McNeilage

Christopher Osbourne

David Tune

Carlien van Heel

Miriam Ware

Tom Warnecke

Courtenay Young

Further Reading

The Journal of Body, Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy published by Taylor and Francis has a host of contemporary articles on body psychotherapy. Some are free to download and articles written by CBPC staff are consistently in the top 10 most read articles online. JournalBMDP

See also the European Association for Body Psychotherapy website: eabp and the USA Body Psychotherapy website usabp

Costs and Training Dates

Costs generally increase annually in September in line with inflation. First year dates are given on this site. Subsequent years follow a similar structure around weekends with less weekends each year than in the first year. This significantly reduces the time commitment and costs.

FIRST YEAR COURSES

FOUNDATION BIODYNAMIC MASSAGE

2019: September 7/8; October 19/20; November 9/10; December 7/8;

2020: January 11/12; February 8/9; March 7/8; April 18/19; May 16/17

TIME: 10.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m.

COST: £1863.00 payable as a deposit of £207.00 and 8 monthly payments of £207.00.

EMOTIONAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

2019: September 28; October 26; November 23/24; December – reading month;

2020: January 26 (Sunday); February 29; March 28; April 25;

TIME: 10.00 a.m. – 5.30 p.m.

COST: £864.00 payable as a deposit of £96.00 and 8 monthly payments of £96.00.

Training Fees

Training fees increase with inflation annually. We reserve the right to increase fees due to unforeseen additional costs. It is possible to complete the training over a longer period of time to spread the costs of training.

Apart from the training fees students should also budget for individual psychotherapy throughout the training. The cost of psychotherapy will vary according to the part of the country in which you live. Students are required to have 40 sessions per year with a UKCP registered psychotherapist. From the second year students are working with biodynamic massage clients and will require weekly supervision. This is in addition to training module costs. Please email us for a list of the full training fees.

Booking and Further Information

Application forms can be downloaded from this site. Please contact us with any specific queries about the training.